Montel Williams Discusses Opioid Struggles and Advocacy

Montel Williams, the former talk show host, has shared his struggle with opioid addiction, revealing that at the height of his fame, he was taking 12 to 13 pills a day to manage his multiple sclerosis symptoms. Speaking on Maria Menounos' podcast, he admitted that his celebrity status allowed him easy access to prescription narcotics, often simply by calling hotel concierges for doctors. Williams began stockpiling opioids due to their availability, although he acknowledged they were meant for short-term use. Eventually, his primary care physician intervened, threatening to report him to the DEA for doctor shopping. Following this confrontation, Williams turned to medical marijuana as an alternative for pain management, becoming an advocate for its use. His experience highlights the challenges of opioid addiction and the influence of celebrity culture on drug accessibility.